Transportation
Given the vastness of our land and length of our coastline, it’s no wonder so many images of Nunavut are associated with transportation. Dog teams and kayaks are mostly used recreationally these days, but transportation still plays a major role in every aspect of life in this vast territory, and it still provides the foundation for economic activity in Nunavut.
Nunavut’s surrounding waters provide access to the bounty and beauty of the land. In the summer months, boats line the shore of every community. Heavy goods, such as building materials and annual fuel supplies, are transported by ship on the annual sealift.
The absence of highways does not preclude land travel outside communities. When the waters are frozen, and snow covers the land, snowmobile trails fan out in every direction from the communities, and specially adapted heavy equipment takes over hauling duties where the sealift ships leave off. ATVs take over in the summer, following their own trails to hunting and recreational areas.
Major “roads to resources” are in development – the Bathurst Inlet Port and Road Project will link vast mineral deposits to the Arctic Ocean, while the Manitoba-Nunavut Highway will provide the first road link to the south, and open up sites with potential for the generation of hydro power.
Modern aircraft have been adapted to move passengers and cargo into every community in the territory. Most communities receive scheduled service at least four days a week, while the gateway airports at Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, and Cambridge Bay have planes arriving and departing from early morning until well into the evening.
